Bites & Sips - Firebelly to light up Monkey Junction

Published: Monday, September 16, 2013 at 10:48 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, September 16, 2013 at 10:48 a.m.

Last week saw a shakeup in the local pizza scene as well as the loss of a popular pita joint. But first let's take a look at a downtown eatery hoping to make waves in Monkey Junction.

Firebelly

When owner Dan Boyle opened the Firebelly Restaurant & Lounge at 265 N. Front St. in 1999, the young cook was only a few years separated from the Johnson & Wales culinary program he completed in '92. Boyle spent time in hotel and country club kitchens before opening the Firebelly.

Fourteen years later, he's finally planning out a dream kitchen in a virgin, 3,600-square-foot space custom built to his specs at 5607 Carolina Beach Road.

There are no immediate plans to close the original Firebelly, which is for lease but will stay open until a new tenant can be found. (Interested parties can contact Jim Quinn with Creative Commercial Properties at 251-2211.)

Boyle said his new location will serve as a flagship location for the Firebelly brand and give him a fresh start on developing his ideal restaurant. It's a goal that he said has long been hindered at his current location, a choppy basement spot with a kitchen cobbled together from nooks and crannies in a historic downtown structure. Though he's cagey about releasing too many specifics, Boyle said the new location will allow him to more fully develop the culinary aspects of his business.

"I'm really trying to step it up to the potential of what Firebelly can be," he said. "I'm going to have a lot of fun."

While he wouldn't divulge any new menu items, Boyle said the dining experience will include chefs' stations on the main floor, allowing a greater level of interaction between cooks and customers. Significant outdoor seating on a full patio is part of the plan, and he hopes to see the new location evolve into a destination for live music. Bands were a big part of Firebelly for its first few years in business, when the venue hosted such touring acts as The Drive-By Truckers and Elf Power.

Construction is underway on the spot that has been unoccupied since the opening of The Village at Myrtle Grove shopping plaza near the Home Depot in Monkey Junction, and Boyle hopes to be operational by early next year, if not later this year. The new location will seat 165, a significant increase over the 100 Boyle can host downtown.

Pita Delite

Quick-serve Mediterranean hot spot Pita Delite has one fewer location in Wilmington with the closing of its Monkey Junction spot at 5916 Carolina Beach Road last week. David Miller, whose company owns the Beau Rivage Marketplace that hosted the eatery, said the lease had expired and that they're looking for new tenants to fill the space.

Chris Pursley, a manager at the brand's other Wilmington location at 317-B S. College Road, said he is continuing to do business as usual with no change in hours or menu.

Princess Pizza

Owner Sam Rayan of Princess Pizza, 204 Princess St. in downtown Wilmington, has closed his restaurant and is preparing to open a new location on the western edge of Leland by early October.

Rayan said he'll manage the new eatery, which will be called In and Out Pizza and Subs, but it will be owned by his brother's corporation. The pizzeria will be located in the former Domino's spot at 1735 Reed Road NE in the shopping plaza anchored by a Food Lion supermarket.

Leasing agent Christian Cardamone with Coastal Properties said a number of interested parties have approached him about the Princess Street spot, which has hosted several pizza restaurants, including Numero Uno, over the years. Cardamone said the building's owners are hoping to see the location host a more upscale café appropriate to the historic nature of the building. Cardamone can be reached at 256-8171.

Times Square Pizza

The bad news is that Wilmington has lost a member of her restaurant family. The good news is that the spot won't sit empty for long.

Times Square Pizza opened at 417 S. College Road early this year with owner Walter Lemishev serving pies that passed critical muster in a cozy space fine-tuned to the surrounding college-aged clientele. Their signature Times Square Bianco pie, a white pizza dosed with a heavy treatment of garlic, received particularly high marks.

The pizzeria closed a few weeks ago, according to neighbors, but the site is already buzzing with activity. Details are hazy, but new tenants are said to be opening a Brazilian grill in the spot, adding a unique flavor to the multi-cultural University Landing plaza that already hosts long-standing Jamaican, Mongolian, Chinese and Japanese eateries.

The pizza-centric site has experienced some turnover in recent years. Krazy Pizza & Subs closed in 2010, followed by Goodfellas Pizza in 2012.

Amore Pizza & Pasta

Owner Glen Gortian took over the former Nino's at 2535 Castle Hayne Road late last year, and a few months later relaunched the pizzeria as Amore Pizza & Pasta. In addition to a menu of specialty pies, calzones and appetizers such as wings and jalapeño poppers, look for entrees including eggplant rollatini or chicken and broccoli Alfredo.

Amore opens at 11 a.m. daily, closing at 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 7 p.m. Sundays. Visit Amore NC.com for a full menu or to place orders online.

Contact Paul Stephen at 343-2041 or Paul.Stephen@StarNewsOnline.com. Find him on Twitter @pauljstephen, or drop a note at the Port City Foodies' Facebook page.

<p>Last week saw a shakeup in the local pizza scene as well as the loss of a popular pita joint. But first let's take a look at a downtown eatery hoping to make waves in Monkey Junction.</p><p><b>Firebelly</b></p><p>When owner Dan Boyle opened the Firebelly Restaurant & Lounge at 265 N. Front St. in 1999, the young cook was only a few years separated from the Johnson & Wales culinary program he completed in '92. Boyle spent time in hotel and country club kitchens before opening the Firebelly. </p><p>Fourteen years later, he's finally planning out a dream kitchen in a virgin, 3,600-square-foot space custom built to his specs at 5607 Carolina Beach Road. </p><p>There are no immediate plans to close the original Firebelly, which is for lease but will stay open until a new tenant can be found. (Interested parties can contact Jim Quinn with Creative Commercial Properties at 251-2211.)</p><p>Boyle said his new location will serve as a flagship location for the Firebelly brand and give him a fresh start on developing his ideal restaurant. It's a goal that he said has long been hindered at his current location, a choppy basement spot with a kitchen cobbled together from nooks and crannies in a historic downtown structure. Though he's cagey about releasing too many specifics, Boyle said the new location will allow him to more fully develop the culinary aspects of his business. </p><p>"I'm really trying to step it up to the potential of what Firebelly can be," he said. "I'm going to have a lot of fun."</p><p>While he wouldn't divulge any new menu items, Boyle said the dining experience will include chefs' stations on the main floor, allowing a greater level of interaction between cooks and customers. Significant outdoor seating on a full patio is part of the plan, and he hopes to see the new location evolve into a destination for live music. Bands were a big part of Firebelly for its first few years in business, when the venue hosted such touring acts as The Drive-By Truckers and Elf Power. </p><p>Construction is underway on the spot that has been unoccupied since the opening of The Village at Myrtle Grove shopping plaza near the Home Depot in Monkey Junction, and Boyle hopes to be operational by early next year, if not later this year. The new location will seat 165, a significant increase over the 100 Boyle can host downtown. </p><p><b>Pita Delite</b></p><p>Quick-serve Mediterranean hot spot Pita Delite has one fewer location in Wilmington with the closing of its Monkey Junction spot at 5916 Carolina Beach Road last week. David Miller, whose company owns the Beau Rivage Marketplace that hosted the eatery, said the lease had expired and that they're looking for new tenants to fill the space.</p><p>Chris Pursley, a manager at the brand's other Wilmington location at 317-B S. College Road, said he is continuing to do business as usual with no change in hours or menu.</p><p><b>Princess Pizza</b></p><p>Owner Sam Rayan of Princess Pizza, 204 Princess St. in downtown Wilmington, has closed his restaurant and is preparing to open a new location on the western edge of <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9971"><b>Leland</b></a> by early October.</p><p>Rayan said he'll manage the new eatery, which will be called In and Out Pizza and Subs, but it will be owned by his brother's corporation. The pizzeria will be located in the former Domino's spot at 1735 Reed Road NE in the shopping plaza anchored by a Food Lion supermarket.</p><p>Leasing agent Christian Cardamone with Coastal Properties said a number of interested parties have approached him about the Princess Street spot, which has hosted several pizza restaurants, including Numero Uno, over the years. Cardamone said the building's owners are hoping to see the location host a more upscale café appropriate to the historic nature of the building. Cardamone can be reached at 256-8171.</p><p><b>Times Square Pizza</b></p><p>The bad news is that Wilmington has lost a member of her restaurant family. The good news is that the spot won't sit empty for long.</p><p>Times Square Pizza opened at 417 S. College Road early this year with owner Walter Lemishev serving pies that passed critical muster in a cozy space fine-tuned to the surrounding college-aged clientele. Their signature Times Square Bianco pie, a white pizza dosed with a heavy treatment of garlic, received particularly high marks.</p><p>The pizzeria closed a few weeks ago, according to neighbors, but the site is already buzzing with activity. Details are hazy, but new tenants are said to be opening a Brazilian grill in the spot, adding a unique flavor to the multi-cultural University Landing plaza that already hosts long-standing Jamaican, Mongolian, Chinese and Japanese eateries.</p><p>The pizza-centric site has experienced some turnover in recent years. Krazy Pizza & Subs closed in 2010, followed by Goodfellas Pizza in 2012.</p><p><b>Amore Pizza & Pasta</b></p><p>Owner Glen Gortian took over the former Nino's at 2535 Castle Hayne Road late last year, and a few months later relaunched the pizzeria as Amore Pizza & Pasta. In addition to a menu of specialty pies, calzones and appetizers such as wings and jalapeño poppers, look for entrees including eggplant rollatini or chicken and broccoli Alfredo.</p><p>Amore opens at 11 a.m. daily, closing at 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 7 p.m. Sundays. Visit Amore NC.com for a full menu or to place orders online.</p><p>Contact <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9919"><b>Paul Stephen</b></a> at 343-2041 or Paul.Stephen@StarNewsOnline.com. Find him on <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a> @pauljstephen, or drop a note at the Port City Foodies' <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/facebook"><b>Facebook</b></a> page.</p>